Ch. 8 Lucian
1411 Words
Sleep did not find me easily. Everything had been going so well. I was so proud of my little brother and then....
I couldn't get the horrified look on Luca's face when he saw the evidence of an attack. Dad had said the attacks were getting closer but I hadn't dreamed it would be at our doorstep already.
Gray had picked up on Luca's withdrawal when we regrouped and immediately knew something was up. My brother was a shell, lost in the ugliness of what the attack must've looked like on us. The one we fought hard to erase from his memory.
"f**k!" Gray had cursed, pacing restlessly. "I thought we had more time! Who would've thought your dad's foresight was right on target?"
I regretted not listening to my dad's theories more closely. He was paranoid after all, right? A grieving husband hell bent on vengeance....
"He's gonna need time, Lucian. He'll be ok," Gray encouraged me about my brother.
I didn't tell him how Luca made the connection between the deadly arrows in the vamps' chests to his own chest scar. Damn my brother's intuition!
After cleaning myself up I was crawling out of my skin. I walked straight out of my room and padded down the hall to Luca's room. I quietly opened his door and let out a breath of relief. He was fast asleep. I was about to shut his door when he murmured in his sleep ....
"Dani...."
His voice sounded pleading. Like he was calling to her. The f*****g wolf that tricked him into getting struck with the arrow that nearly killed him! Granted she was just a kid herself, but she was his best friend. He'd trusted her completely.
I slumped against the wall outside his room, sliding down to the floor. The night terrors Luca had had after the attack were awful. His screams would pierce the heart. We'd been desperate to help him. Desperate enough to use magic. Beth, our healer, had a contact who trained with mages. The ancient vampire had traveled a long way to help us.
Now I worried if my brother was breaking the spell, his own mind strong enough to push past the defenses we had made for him.
I waited outside his room for a little. I needed to make sure his night terrors weren't back. But after a few minutes of just hearing his even breathing, I dragged myself to my bed.....
"But mama I want to go see Dani!" Luca wouldn't stop whining about being forbidden from going to the creek.
I'd heard Dad talking to Gray and the other warriors. Dani's brother Tommy had been killed.... And his pack thought it was us. Dad was preparing for their retaliation, even though we had nothing to do with it. I mean, I had nothing against Tommy. Despite being a wolf, he wasn't a bad guy. Being the same age, we liked the same things, even being friends with each other when we were little.
"It's not safe, my love," mama cooed to Luca. "Don't worry, you will get to play with Dani again soon."
I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I moved to leave the room. "Lucian will play with you baby..."
I groaned. Seriously? They were the ones keeping him from his play mate and now I had to be his entertainment?! I opened my mouth to argue but the fierce look in Mama's eyes told me to save it. I sighed and motioned for Luca to follow me.
Do you know how hard it is to hang out with your friends when you're 12 and your 6 year old brother tags along?
My patience did not last long....
"Will you come play at the creek with me?" He begged for the millionth time.
"No! Luca just go down to the creek yourself if you want to play there so bad!"
"But mama said I can't! It isn't safe!" He whined, unsure.
"You'll be fine! Just don't get caught!" I said irritatedly.
I didn't even watch him sprint away. I was just so relieved he was out of my hair for once....
If wasn't long after, that the first explosion went off. Then the next. It was chaos with the choking dust and screaming. My ears were ringing. I was frozen to my spot. Suddenly my dad was in front of me, checking me over for injuries.
"Are you hurt?" Dad put his hands on either side of my face, knelt in front of me. I managed to shake my head. Dad nodded, shouting orders to his men nearby. "Find your brother. Keep him safe. Can you do that Lucian?" He asked, the steady, calm in the storm.
I nodded, my heart racing out of control. Dad shouted more orders before turning back to me, "Go son!"
I nearly fell as I sprinted toward the creek. Dad had ordered men to the border to fight off the wolves... The wolves that were just on the other side of the creek I let my brother play in.
As I came down the hill, halfway to the creek, I saw Gray, my dad's second in command. He was rushing my way. It was who I saw in his arms that made my legs nearly buckle. My little brother was limp, cradled in his arms. An arrow protruded from his chest. There was so much blood...
"No, no, no," I cried, my heart in my throat.
"Lucian!" Gray called to me. "Go get your mother or father!"
Luca's eyes fluttered open when he heard Gray say my name. He was alive! A new resolve flowed through me, "Gray give him to me! Go! Dad needs you at the border! He's getting a battalion ready to push back the wolves!"
Gray nodded and gently transferred Luca to my waiting arms. My brother gasped in pain with the movement, "Stay awake Luca," I urged him. "I've got you. You're going to be ok, you hear me?" My voice cracked with emotion. I moved as fast as my legs could carry me. This was my fault! MY fault! MY FAULT....
"Lucian!"
I sat up gasping, Luca shaking my shoulders. I tried to calm my erratic breathing, my racing heart.
Luca searched my eyes, "You were yelling, Lucian. In your sleep."
I ran my hands over my face. I was drenched in sweat, "Sorry," I breathed. "Bad dream. Thanks for waking me." I swung my legs over the side of my bed and made my way to my bathroom. I splashed cold water on my face, hoping it would wash the memories out of my head.
"My fault," Luca murmured as I dried my face. "You were yelling, my fault." I glanced at him in the mirror to see he was leaning in the doorway, arms crossed. "What was your fault?"
I walked past him, back to my bed, "Nothing Luca. Go back to bed." I tried to brush the whole thing off, hoping he'd drop it.
But of course, luck wasn't on my side.
"You said my name, Lucian," he pushed, following me. "Were you dreaming about the attack?"
"Drop it Luca," I growled, slipping under my covers. I was still reeling from the nightmare, having to relive the guilt of my brother being shot because of me. I rolled away from him, giving him my back. A silence fell over my room and I began to relax...
"I dream about it too," Luca said quietly. "Pieces of it. None of it really makes any sense, but I feel it. The pain."
I clenched my jaw, wishing he would stop talking.
"I don't know what happened that day but I know there's no way you were to blame for any of it," he continued. "I'm sorry for being such a pain in the ass all the time to you. Thank you for keeping me safe.... Even when I give you s**t for it."
I nearly ground my teeth to powder. He was killing me. To get an apology from a teenager is a miracle but a thank you as well?! I rolled over, holding my breath, but he was gone.
I let the air leave my lungs and wiped hastily at my eyes. I hoped my brother never found out it was my fault he was at the creek that day. And it was because of that, I would give it my all to keep him safe
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